It seems like everyone is jumping on the podcast train these days. They heard that it’s a fantastic medium for spreading your message and reaching your ideal audience, and they’re right! Podcasting not only gives you a platform or “stage” to talk to your listeners, but it also builds that all-important “know, like, and trust” factor that is so instrumental for building relationships with your customers or clients. It’s no wonder so many business owners are thinking of starting a podcast!
There has been a boom in the level of podcast awareness and listenership in the last couple of years. In fact, it is predicted that the number of podcast listeners in the U.S. will surpass 160 million by 2023. If that’s not a great reason to consider starting a podcast, I don’t know what is!
If you are ready to make this the year that you finally start your podcast, there are some things you’ll want to know beforehand. We all know that podcasting can be amazing for your business, but only if you utilize it correctly. The last thing you want is to put your time and effort into a podcast only to have it fail to meet your expectations.
Here are some things to consider so you can make sure your podcast works for you:
Time and Consistency Commitment
Podcasting is no quick task. The full production process for one episode can take up to 14 hours of your time. You will be planning your content, scripting, finding guests, doing interviews, recording, editing, mixing your music, writing show notes, creating social media graphics, and putting it all together. Be prepared for this going in so it’s not a shock down the road.
Successful podcasting also requires commitment. By consistently showing up the way you said you would, you are showing your listeners that you are trustworthy. They know they can tune in to your show every week without fail. This keeps the interest and buzz around your show going. Taking breaks or not being consistent may cause people to forget about your show, so try to avoid that at all costs. When you snag new listeners, you want to make sure you keep them.
Cost
The cost of podcasting can vary widely. Some people can make it work on very little investment. However, if you want it to have a professional quality (great for building your brand reputation and making a good impression on your listeners), you want to invest in good equipment. Recording equipment, tools, software for editing, transcripts, as well as hosting are some of the costs you can expect. If you decide to hire professionals to help you with your production needs, this is another cost to keep in mind.
Your investments into making your podcast stand out will show. You’ll find that people take your business more seriously and you can snag guests that are more established and well known in their field.
How Will It Fit Into Your Business?
When you start your podcast, you want to make sure it serves a purpose in your business. Of course, you want to build a relationship and trust with your audience, but you can also use it to sell your services or products as well.
When deciding on the premise of your show and the types of episodes you’ll create, you want to include lots of free advice but drive your listeners to your business as well. Sending them to your show notes is a great way to get them onto your website and in front of your other offers.
How Will You Promote It?
As wonderful as podcasting is, the listeners won’t just magically appear. You will need to promote it so that people know it exists. You’ll need to consider what strategy you’ll use for this. Options include Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, giveaways, being a guest on other podcasts in your niche, and more.
Coming up with a promotion strategy before diving in will help ensure that you are not putting in this hard work for no return, so it is essential to consider how you will do it. Remember, promotion is essential for growth.
What’s Your Why?
Why do you really want to start a podcast? Many future podcasters are tempted to skip this step, but it is an important one. As mentioned above, podcasting is no easy feat, and knowing your “why” is foundational to ensuring you stick with it.
Is it to share your message? Inspire others? Increase sales? Grow your list? Something else? Write this down and refer back to it when you are feeling burnt out or discouraged.
How Will It Benefit Listeners?
As fun as it is to make a podcast episode just talking about your personal life updates, it may not be as big of a hook for your listeners. Something to always keep in mind when mapping out your content is the “What’s In It For Me?” question. People come to most podcasts because there is something in it for them.
Will you be teaching them something? Inspiring them? Entertaining? Sharing your business and how it can change their life? Remember to frame it in a way that benefits your audience. This is how you can guarantee your listeners will keep coming back for more.
How Will You Measure ROI?
How will you measure your podcast’s performance? As we said above, podcasting is an investment of time and money, and you want to make sure you are getting something out of it in return.
Consider about what it is you are doing this for. Find ways to measure your success in that area. You can track your metrics month by month to determine how you are doing overall and what adjustments you need to make.
Podcasting is a big undertaking but it will all be worth it if you go into it with a game plan. With these things in mind, you can get in the right mindset to go in and grow it to achieve the success you have always wanted. Have fun!
Are you interested in learning more about starting a podcast? Read more of our favorite posts here:
The 8 Benefits of Starting a Podcast
9 Podcast Recording Tips Every Great Host Follows
The Best Productivity Tips for Podcasters
